Sheet-feeding machine



'(No Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. G. HOPKINS. SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 28, 18 96.

VVitnesses:

A ttorneyS ANDREW Bj RAHlM. PHDTO-LITHQ WASHING ON Ac 5 Sheets-Sheet .2.

L. 0. HOPKINS.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

% www 5 Qm wmjj m 7 Q W 24 m t n e v n I Patented Jan. 28, 1896.

AN DREW BJSRAHAM. PHOTO-WHO. WASHM G ON D c 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(N0 Model 'L.'U. HOPKINS,

SHEET FEEDING MAGHINE.

Patented Jan. 28, 1896.

N' I V W Si g n a @g Q? Ti Q 0 T] 5 7 ,\&

kw, Q m

Vvitnesses vc-lmvient of.

Attor eyW,

7 ANDREW B.GRANAM PHOYOUTHQWASIJINGTONDb,

(No Model.) 5-S heets-Sheet 4. L. O. HOPKINS.

SHEET FEEDING MAGHINE.

No. 553,713. Patented Jan 28, 1896.

Witnsaes:

m 9%. 560cm Aworhey? (No Model.)

' 5 Sheets- L. O. HOPKINS.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

,713. PatentedJan. 28, 1896.

Jvembiz AN DREW IGRANAM. PHOTO UTHQWASNINBTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT @EEicE.

LIN"ON O. HOPKINS, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

SHEET-FEEDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,713, dated January28, 1896.

Application filed June 19, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, LINTON O. HOPKINS, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and

a resident of Atlanta, in the county of Ful.-"

ton and State of Georgia, have made a certain new and useful Improvementin Sheet-Feeding Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to devices for feeding sheets of paper to aprinting or binding press or to any machine which requires to be so fed,the object of the invention being to improve the sheet separating andfeeding mechanism, as well as to provide several safety devices and anautomatic table-act juster whereby the feeding-machine is rendered moresatisfactory in its operations, and means for dissipating theelectricity incidentally generated in the operation of the device.

The device is shown in the accompanying drawings as follows:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine from the side of the presson which the feeder usually stands. Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of thelower end of the feeder as the sheet runs, same being omitted from Fig.1 for lack of room. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the opposite sideof the device from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a fragmentarycontinuation of Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 is a continuation of Fig. 2. Fig. 2-3is a plan view of the device. Figs. 1 and 5 are respectively front andside views of a detail of the pitman for operating the separating-tongueand its guide-post. Fig. (3 is a detail in side eleva tion of theseparating-tongue, the rollers, and their tapes and grid, and also thefront edge lifting-finger, the nozzles of the spraying device, and thepaper-table. Fig. 7 is a detail of the feeding and separating wheel.Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the head end of the sideshift table andthe adjustable grid thereover. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the pick-upfinger and the cams operating the same. Fig.

Serial No. 553,316. (No-model.)

10 is a detail of the quick-feeding arm, and Fig. 11 is a section on theline 11 11 in said figure. Fig. 12 is a detail of the table-raisingmechanism, including the setting-rod. Fig. 13 is a plan of the saidsetting-rod and the shaft thereof. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of thebelt-shifting device, showing a portion of the lever connecting same tothe automatic stop mechanism. Fig. 15 is a View in side elevation ofthe'dog 27 and adjacent and co-operative parts showing same insuccessive posit-ions.

In the figures like reference-marksindicate corresponding parts in allthe views.

1 is a base which may be of any suitable form and construction tosustain the operative parts of the device, and may be either secured tothe press or machine to be fed or rest upon a suitable base of its own.

2 is the paper-table,and 3 are uprights which are secured to the frame 1and carry guides at for the head-blocks 5 secured to the saidpaper-table and nuts adapted to receive the lead-screws 6, the upper endof each of which lead-screws is journaled in the cross-bar of theuprights 3 and projects thereabove, bein g squared to receive a wheel orwrench in turning to a starting-point for the table. The lower ends ofthese screws are journaled in a step-bearing of suitable constructionand carry a pinion 7 meshing with the pinions 8 on each end of thetransversely-extending shaft 9 and operating to cause the saidleadscrews to revolve in unison.

10 are uprights, of which there are two, one on each side of themachine, secured to the base 1 and projecting upwardly to a point abovethe paper-table,where they carry a shaft 11. A shaft 12 is journaled onthe upper ends of the uprights 3, and the main drivingshaft 1% of themachine is journaled on the base 1 or in the lower ends of the uprights10, the latter being the position shown. The main driving-pulley 13,Fig. 3, is secured on this shaft 1 1, a gear 15 being set on itsopposite end, as shown in Fig. 2, meshing with the gear 16 on the shaft17, which carries in turn a pulley 18, preferably adapted to carry asprocket or chain belt 19, which runs also on the sprocket-wheel 20secured to the shaft 11, on which shaft is another sprocket-whee1 Elcz'trrying a belt and act-ing to revolve the shaft l2 through the saidbelt and the pulley 23 on said shaft 12.

On the shaft 12 is one or more feedingwheels 2-t,which are constructedsubstantially like those covered in my Patent No. 5-l5,86l., datedSeptember 23, 1895, with the exception that the feeding-wheel thereshown is provided with equidistant radial arms, while the wheel in thepresent instance has been mu.- tilated by the removal of all but threeof said arms, so that its action may be intermittent. It consists ofsubstantially three radial arms 25, on the end of each of which is afinger, either flexible in itself or flexibly mounted, so as to have anelastic and, if desired, an adjustable pressure on the upper surface ofthe top sheet of paper, which contact, by reason of the nature of thepaper, is connnunicated to a considerable depth into the pile of paperon the paper-table and acts to move the same forwardly to a degreeinversely as the distance of the sheet down in the pile of paper fromthe one directly acted upon increases. This wheel is mutilated so as notto interfere with the intermittent or successive action of the remainderof the separating and feeding mechanism.

On the shaft 11 is one or more-preferably twoarms 26, which carry ontheir distal extrcmities dogs 27, each of which dogs is provided with ablock 28 of rubber or other clastic material whereby frictional contactbetween the dog and the paper is increased. On reference to Fig. 1 itwill be seen that the angle of the dog 27 to the arm 26 is such thatowing to the frictionalv contact of the rubber on the paper there is atendency of the arm and dog to straighten out which presses the rubbervery firmly against the paper and moves but one sheet at a time, movingthat forwardly with a quick movement. Arms 29 are bolted to thecross-bar :30 supported on the ends of the arms 31 which projectupwardly and forwardly from the uprights 10, said arms 2?) extendingacross the shaft of the arms 26 and parallel to the plane of revolutionof said arms,their distal extremities being turned upwardly and flanged,as shown in Figs. and 11 in detail and in Figs. 1 and 2 in position onthe machine. These flanges, numbered 32 in the drawings, form a guidefor the dogs 27 and act to bring same into proper position forcontacting with the sheet of paper, as shown in Fig. ll. These dogs 27are each provided with a tail 33 inclined inwardly from the circularline of movement of the main body of the dog, which tail contacting withthe pin S-l on the corresponding arm 22 acts to prevent a prematureengagement of the rubber block 28 with the paper.

As the arms carry the dog 27 upwardly after the contact of the blocks 28with the paper, the pins 35 on the arms 29 will contact with the dog, asshown in Fig. 14:, and prevent the swinging out of the end carrying theblock 28 by centrifugal force, aided by the force from the horizontalmovement of the block 28 as it moves the sheet fin-ward, and bring saiddog with its tail into a substantially vertical position, in an.-oximatcly which position. it will remain notwithstand ing thecentrifugal force until it is brought into contact with flange $.32 andthe pin l-l, there not being time for very great shifting of position ofthe said dog 27 between the time of its leaving the position shown bydotted line at the left in Fig. 15 untilit reaches the next positionshown in said figure.

As seen in Fig. 9, a gibbous-shaped cam 2.3 which has one concentricperipheral surface 37 and one eccentric peripheral face 38, is mountedon the shaft 1.]. and revolves therewith. Also on this shaft on eachside of the cam are other cams 3i] which have each a concentric face andan abutting end -ll projecting substantially as best seen in Fig. 1). Anarm l2 is pivotally secured to the shaft 12, as shown, although it mightbe attached to any convenient stationary part of the machine, said armresting upon the periphery of the cam 36 and being, in the constructionshown, bifurcated, a guide-arm 43 being carried and projectingdownwardly from each. side of each of the ends, a finger it beingpivoted to the said arm and lyingbctwcen said guide-arms and upon theperiphery of the cams each finger being dentated onv its lower end, asshown, whereby each is enabled to catch the edge of the sheet of paperas it is elevated and raise same from the pile of paper at that edge, asshown in Figs. l, 2 and 9. As the gibbous-shaped cam l rcvolvcs itseccentric side raises and. lowers the arm 42, the concentric side or theside having the major diameter holding said arm elevated for asufficient period of time. There may be two single arms like the arm .inconstruction, but not bifurcated, together with a duplicate set ofgibbousshaped cams, etc, although of course these parts may beduplicatcd to an y necessary extent.

Rollers l5 and L0 are journalcd in suitable bearings on the ends of thearms 3.1., the lower rollers, 4-5, being driven by the belt 1 7 from thepulley -18 and the upper set of rollers being vertically movable andresting upon the upper side of the rollers Projecting between therollers l5 and iii are two tongues l9, as best shown in Figs. 1, 2, and3, said tongues having movement longitudinally, so that they may lieupon the top sheet of the pile on the paper-table and prevent the motionof the rubber block from being communicated to the paper below. Thesetongues are each secured to the upper end of a correlative arm 50, eachof which is pivoted to the frame 1, said tongues lying just above theshaft of the rollers l5, and so that their upper sides are not above normuch below the pcripheries of said rollers at the top. A plunger 51 ispivotally secured to the lever near the lower end, passing through anupright 52, secured to the base 1, and carrying a roller on ICC its freeend. A cam 53 on the main shaft serves to reciprocate this plunger 51and move the lever 50 in a direction to Withdraw the tongue from itsposition above the pile of paper, a spring 54 acting to pull the tongueinto place under the top sheet of paper. It is thought that two of thesetongues will be suflicient for the purpose.

A shaft 55 is j ournaled in suitable bearingboxes 56, as shown in Figs.2, 3, 12, and 13, and an arm 57 is carried thereon, resting upon theupper side of the pile of paper on the paper-table. A plunger 58 slidesvertically upon the upright 3 on one side of the machine, and isconnected at its lower end with the free end of the curved pawl 59, oneend of which is connected with the rock-lever 60, Figs. 2 and 12, whichis rocked by a cam 61 on the main shaft of the machine and causes areciprocation of the said curved pawl be tween predetermined limits ofmovement. This plunger 58 is provided with a pin 58, projecting acrossthe plane of movement of and below the pawl 59, so that when saidplunger is raised the pawl is also lifted, said pawl falling of its ownweight upon the depression of the said plunger and lying thereon at alltimes, excepting such as the plunger descends below the point where thesaid pawl will contactwith the ratchet-wheel, which latter times do notoccur in operation. On reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that thelower the said pawl is when reciprocated the more teeth it will catch onthe ratchet-wheel 62, said ratchet-wheelbeing mounted on the shaft 9. Inorder to regulate the depth of the descent of the pawl in proportion tothe height of the paper on the paper-table an arm 63 is secured to theshaft 55 and its free end is connected with the upper end of the plunger58, whereby on a partial revolution of the said shaft by the descent ofthe arm 57 there is a corresponding depression of the arm 63 and of theplunger 58, allowing the pawl 59. also to fall and engage one or more ofthe teeth on the ratchet-wheel, being reciprocated once to each sheetdelivered, and upon said engagement the said ratchet-wheel will bepartially revolved and the shaft 9 with it, imparting sufficient motionto the lead-screws to raise the table until a reverse action of thelever withdraws it from engagement.

In order that the movement of the paper shall not be interfered with bythe arm 57 it is desirable to raise the end of said arm above the upperside of the paper just prior to the commencement of the movement of thetop sheet, and for this purpose I mount a cam 63 on the shaft 1.1, asbest shown in Fig. 12, which strikes thelower side of the arm 63 once ineach revolution, and the said cam, having approximately one-half of itsperiphery concentric with its shaft, the arm 63 will be held elevated,as will also the arm 57, during the time of the movement of the paperforwardly on the table. 1

Running on the rollers 45 at their upper ends and on rollers 64 at theirlower ends are tapes 65, which are kept tight by means of movablebearingboxes 66 for the rollers 64, adjusted by means of set-screws 67,as best shown in Fig. 3. A series of fingers 68, free at their lowerends, but connected at their upper ends by a cross-bar 69 and hooked tothe shaft of the rollers 46 by a pair of hooks 70, lie upon these tapesand act to straighten the paper thereon and cause it to lie at rightangles thereto, their free ends resting with their own weight upon theupper side of said tapes. These fingers act to cause a proper frictionalcontact between the paper and the tapes and do not impede the forwardmotion of the paper, as they only touch same by their points, saidpoints obviously wearing very smooth if not made so at first. It isobvious that if a sheet is delivered onto these said tapes otherwisethan at right angles thereto, one corner thereof will strikethe fingerson that side sooner than the other corner will strike the correlativefingers, and hence the motion of the side that is in advance will beimpeded for a moment until the other side shall catch up therewith andthe sheet go under the said fingers perfectly parallel to thefeeding-rollers.

Resting upon the base 1 is atable 71, (best shown in Fig. 3,) extendingfrom a point as near the periphery of the rollers 6 1 as possiblewithout interfering with the sidewise adjustment of said rollers shouldsuch be necessary. I make the table and the upper sides of the tapespractically continuous by means of fingers 72, which lie upon the upperedge of the table, being loosely mounted on the shaft of the rollers 64and lying between each of said rollers. The paper may pass over the topof said fingers in passing from the top of said tapes to the table 71.The said table is slotted transversely and at a slight angle to the lineof forward motion of the paper, and rollers 7 3 are mounted in suitablebearings below said table, their peripheral surfaces being projectedupwardly through said slots to a point slightly above said table,whereby the paper contacts therewith and is carried forwardly thereby.This angle should be not more than (say) five degrees, inasmuch as morethan that will tend to bend the edge of the paper against the side guide'7 5 as the paper is brought forward. In the smallness of this angle isthe essence of these rollers, as it will not do to bend the edge of thepaper, as stated. The side guide 75 is secured to the upper side of thetable along the edge thereof, screws 76 being used for that purpose andentering slots in the said table make same adjustable laterally toaccommodate different widths of paper and different feeding-points onthe press or ruling-machine being fed. Lying parallel to said table andover the top thereof is a grid which is composed of laterally-extendingbars 78 and bars 79, connected at each end to said cross-bars 78, beingsecured to the under side thereof, so as to present an unbroken surfaceon their bottoms. The bars 78 are slotted throughout their entirelength, excepting at their extreme ends, and thumb -screws serve to holdthe bars 7 0 thereunder so as to be readily adjustable to any positionlaterally. Other bars may be inserted if desired. The screws 80 passthrough the slotted bars 78, their threaded ends entering the bars 79.Hence it is obvious that the position of the bars 79 may be separatelyadjusted vertically relative to the table, the action of the bars alongthe edge especially being improved by accurate adjustment as to distancefrom the traveling sheet of paper. Obviously the table and this gridmaybe extended to any desired length, its end being preferably beveledor tapered, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2", the better to approach themachine fed. The rollers 73 are driven by means of a chain belt 81extending from the pulley 82 on the shaft of the rollers 45 driving thepulley 83 carrying a duplicate pulley 81, which is belted to anotherpulley 85 which has a duplicate pulley 86 secured to it, upon which runsthe belt 80 passing over the pulleys S7 of these rollers, with asuitable number of idlers or deflectingpulleys S8 to carry the beltpartially around each of said pulleys 87, as best shown in Figs. 1. and1*. The shaft of the rollers 45 is driven, as before stated, by a beltfrom the pulley 18, said pulley 18 being driven by a belt 80 from thepulley 00 on the main shaft of the ma chine through a pulley 91. on thesame shaft as the pulley 4L8 aforesaid. Obviously this belting might beperformed in many ways, but the one shown and described is, at present,thought preferable.

.02 is a vaporizer which filled with water, 03 being the water-tubeleading therefrom and 511 being the air-tube, both of which are led fromthe vaporizer to a position just opposite the space between the sheetsof paper when one is lifted from the pile on the paper-table, and intowhich space they are adapted to deliver water in a line spray and soprovide for the escape of any electricity which might, and usually is,generated in handling paper. Air is supplied for this device by anair-pump )5 (shown of a reciprocating variety) and operated by thepitman 06 from one of the shafts of the machine, said air passingintothe res ervoir 02 under pressure and forcing the water from same throughthe pipe 03, said outflowing stream of water being blown into a spray orvapor by the air issuing from the pipe 01 and impinging against saidstream of water.

07, Fig. 1, represents the belt-shifting le ver of the press orruling-machine which it is desired to feed, and in order to stop themachine it is necessary to move this lever. As it is desirable toprevent offsets in the printing, I have devised means for automatieallystopping the press and consequently the sheet-feeder on the failure of asheet of paper to leave the paper-table. To this end I place a cam 08 onthe main shaft 14 of the machine and mount a bell-crank lever 90 withits shorter arm in juxtaposition to said cam, but a short distance awayfrom same. The other end of the lever 09 is connected to a verticallever at its top end, said lever 100 being pivoted to the base 1 on abearing 101, whereby when its upper end is caused to move inwardly itslower end will move outwardly, and being secured to the end of the lever102, pivoted at 103 and connected at its other end to the lever 97, saidlever 1.02 will swing in a corresponding manner and the upper end ofsaid lever 07 be moved inwardly and the machine stopped. 13 y reason ofthe separation of the cam 98 and the short end of .the lever 09 saidlever would not be actuated by said cam were it not for the block 101,which is suspended therebetween by a cord or chain 105, connected at itsother end to the end of the lever 100, pivoted to the upright 10, andprojecting .in the construction shown from. under the lever 107, whichlatter lever is pivoted to the crossbar 230, as seen in Fig. 1, itsother end resting upon a striker-cam 108 on the shaft 11. On the lever107 near its pivotal point is an upwardtvprojecting arm 100, and a latchis pivoted in the upper end of the upright 111 set on top of thecross-bar 30. This latch is adapted to engage and hold the upper end ofthe arm 109 until the said latch is lifted at that end, and consequentlywhen the lever 107 is raised by the striker-cam 108 it will remainelevated until so released. The latch carries on its opposite end acam-surface 112, which is traversed by the upper extremity of thepivoted lever 1.13, the lower end of which lever extends across the lineof movement of the paper in passing from the paper-table and emergingfrom between the rollers. It is obvious that the swinging of this leverin. the direction of the paper-table will cause the end of the latch 110to be depressed and release the lever 107, which by falling raises theend of the lever 100, to

llO

which the block 1.0-1 is attached, and withdraws said block from itsposition between the cam and the short arm of the bell-crank lever 90,thereby allowing another revolution of the cam without the operai ion ofthe aforesaid beltshifting mechanism.

Another block, 104:, is suspended ahmgside the block 101 on a cord orchain 1 14:, which cord extends to the lever 115, passing over a sheave111 mounted directly over said blocl: 101, secured to a shaft 110,whichlies on the frame 1, transversely thereof, carryii'ig an arm 117 inthe line of motion of the fly 115, Fig. 1., of the press, and lyingbetween the lingers of said fly. Obviously the said lingers will notengage the said arm 117 ordinarilythat is, when no sheet has been thrownfrom the impressioncylinder of the printing-press thereuntoin which casethe block 101 will remain in position between the cam 08 and the lever90, and the press and feeder will be stopped. In case there is a sheeton said fly the arm 117 will be engaged by the face of has just beenlifted.

said paper and swing in the same direction as the fly moves, pullingupon the cord 114 and raising the block 1071 for the purpose previouslydescribed in connection with the block 10st. It is obvious that when asheet fails to leave the feeder or the press at the proper time, eitherthe block lOl or 104, respectively, will be allowed to remain betweenthe cam 98 and the short arm of the lever 99, and both the feeder andthe press will be stopped,'practically instantaneously, as the presenceof either or both of these blocks insures the action of the cam throughit or them to move the lever.

No matter what the position of the fly of the press relatively to thesheet-feeder, the cord 11% may be extended to transmit motion therefromto the block thereon. In the construction and arrangement shown, thesheetfeeder occupies the position of the ordinary hand feeding-table.

' The operation of this device is as follows: The operation of thetable-elevator, the spraying device, the automatic. stop mechanism, thefeed-table and grids having been set up in the description of theconstruction thereof, it is not deemed necessary to again describe them,but I will nowfpi'oceed to describe the means forseparatin g anddelivering the sheets to the tapes. The action of the wheel L is toadvance the sheets, three arms thereon being sufficient for thispurpose, the remainder being omitted in order to allow the paper to befreely withdrawn from the pile by the other mechanism described for thepurpose. The operation of the wheel 2i is practically continuous, asit'at all times keeps several sheets advanced to a position where theycould be raised at the front edge. The dentated finger i4, reciproeatedby means of the gibbous-shaped cam '36, engages this forward end of thepapeigan'd by lifting it thoroughly separates it from the pile,'thetongues 4E9 being withdrawn to allow this lifting, and then returned totheir placeon. top of the forward edge of the pile of paper under thesheet which As 'soon as the parts shall have reached the positions shownin Fig. 1tliat is, with the arm 42 raised by the cam 86 to its upwardlimit of movement, rais- .ing the fingers ll with itthe abutting ends 41of the cams 39 strike the fingers it and cause them to swing forward,releasing their hold on the paper, which drops back on the pile of paperand the tongues 49. \Vhen the fingers are brought into this positionthey are held by the cylindrical faces of said cams until it is againtime to raise the sheet, the next subjacent one of the pile. As seen inFig. 1, the rubber block 28 on the dog 27 is just about to come intocontact with the paper and said dog is being carried forward by theswinging or re v0- lution of the arm 26. Now, as soon as the paper isdropped from the dentated finger 44, this block is moved forward at aconsiderable speed and the sheet of paper is forced forwardly, enteringbetween the rollers 45 and 4t and being thence carried by the tapes tothe side shifting and forwarding bed, the said rubber-pressed sheetbeing separated from the pile bymeans of the tongues 49, and said rubberpassing directly over said tongues so that the quick motion of the uppersheet is not transmitted to the subjacent one. The operation is thusoncecompleted and the parts are in the positions to again perform it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a sheet-feeding machine, means for separating and advancing thesheets, a gibbous-shaped cam revolubly mounted over the front edge ofthe pile of paper, a pivoted lever lying on said cam and carrying on itsfree end a pendulous finger provided with means for engaging theprojected edge of the top sheet, when depressed, and lifting the sameand means for causing the disengagement thereof on its elevation and offorwarding said sheet.

2. In a sheet-feeding machine, means for separating and advancing thesheets, a gibbous-shaped cam revolubly mounted over the front edge ofthe paper pile, a pivoted lever lying on said cam and carrying on itsfree end a' pendulous finger provided with means for engaging theprojected edge of the top sheet when depressed and lifting the same andmeans for causing a disengagementthereof, consisting of a cam carried onthe same shaft as the gibbous-shaped cam and adapted to strike saidfinger and swing it forwardly.

3. In a sheet-feeding machine, means for separating and advancing thesheets, a gibbous-shaped cam revolubly mounted over the front edge ofthe pile of paper, a pivoted lever lying on said cam and carrying on itsfree end a pendulous finger provided with means for engaging theprojected edge of the top sheet when depressed, and lifting the same,and means for causing a disengagement thereof, consisting of a camcarried on the same shaft as the gibbous-shaped cam and adapted tostrike said finger and swing it forwardly, and having a semicylindricalsurface contacting with said finger and holding it swung outwardlyduring the time the first-named lever lies on the gibbousshaped cam,along its cylindrical peripheral surface, substantially as specified.

4;. In a sheet-feeding machine, the combination of means for proj eetingthe edge of the top sheet and mechanism for lifting the front edge ofthe top sheets consisting of apivoted lever carrying a pendent dentatedfinger on its free end, the guides for said finger thereon, means forcausing a vertical vibration of said lever and a cam adapted to swingsaid finger away from the engaged sheet of paper upon the ultimateelevation thereof and to allow said finger to swing back upon itsdepression and means for forwarding the sheet so separated,substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

5. In a sheet-feedin machine, a paper-supporting table, means forseparating the top sheet of paper from the pile and lifting its forwardedge and a shaft revolubly mounted over said table and carrying an armthereon, a pivoted dog on the end of said arm and a rubber block on thecontacting end, said arm and dog being so proportioned and arranged asto tend to parallel their longitudinal axes upon the contacting of saiddog with the paper, and pivoted arms carrying tongues on their free endsadapted to be inserted under the lifted sheet of paper alon the line oftraveling contact of said block with said top sheet of paper,substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

(5. In a sheet-feeder, a papei.--sup1 orting table, means for separatingthe top sheet of paper from the pile, a rotatable shaft journaled oversaid table and carrying an arm, a dog pivoted at about its middle to thesaid arm, a friction-block on the lower end thereof, said arm and dogbeing so proportioned and arranged as to force the said block downwardlyagainst the paper as'said block is moved in contact therewith,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a sheet-feeding machine, a paper-ta ble, means for separating thetop sheet from the pile of paper and for advancing the said sheet, thelatter consisting of a rotatable shaft journaled over the aforesaidtable, an arm carried thereon, a dog pivoted by about its middle on saidarm, a friction-block carried 011 the lower end thereof, and a pinadapted to contact with said dog along its other end as it is carriedthrough the first part of the lower half of its circle of rotation andacting to prevent the said friction-block from descending prematurelyfrom its circular path, for the purpose Specified.

8. In a sheet-feeding machine, a paper-table, means for separating thetop sheet from the pile of paper and for advancing the said sheet, thelatter consisting of a shaft rotatably mounted over said table, an armcarried thereon, a dog carrying a friction-block on its lower end andpivotally secured to the end of said arm by about its middle, an armprojecting to a point near the descending line of motion of the said dogaround the aforesaid shaft and carrying a flange parallel to said lineof motion, for the purpose of guiding the said dog in its movementdownwardlytoward the sheet of paper thereunder with the frictionbloelcforemost.

9. In a sheet-feeding machine, the combination of avertically-mljustable paper-table and means for adjusting sameconsisting of a ratehct-whecl and means for connecting same operativelywith said table, a pawl bent on its end at substantially a right angleto its body and adapted to partially encircle and engage saidratchet-wheel by depression, a plunger mounted on the frame and havingmovement longitudinally thereon, a pin on. the lower end of said plungerresting under said pawl,

a rock-shaft mounted on the machine, a lever thereon connected to theupper end of the aforesaid plunger and another lever secured to saidrocleshat't its end eontz'ietingwith the upper side of the pile ofpaper, and :l'orming means for partially rotating this rock-shaft uponthe removal of a predetermined thick ness of paper from the pile ofpaper on the paper-table, a distance correlative to said th ickness ofpaper previously removed.

10. In a sheet-feeding machine, means for starting the sheet forward,means for lifting the front edge after said movement forward, and meansfor injecting a spray of water under said sheet so lifted consisting ofa reservoir and an aireompressor,an air-pipe leading from saidair-compressor to said reservoir, a water-pipe leading from within saidreservoirnear its bottom upwardly to a point at or al )ove the topthereof thence to a point nearthe fron t edge of the paper pile, anozzle thereon directed at the space between the lifted sheet and saidpile of paper, and with the aforesaid air-pipe extending to a point backof said. \vater-nozzle and a nozzle thereon directed so as to deliver ajet of air at and substantially pa rallel to a stream of water issuingfrom said. water-nozzle, substantially as specified.

11. In a sheet-feeding machine, a papertable, means for separating thesheets and advancing them singly, rollers mounted at one end of saidtable and arranged one set above the other, tapes running on the lowerset of rollers and on idler-rollers, and fingers joined. at their upperends and being provided with hooks adapted to engage the shaft of theupper set of rollers, said fingers lying by their ends upon the upperside of the upper half of said tapes,their bodies being at a slight angle thereto, for the purpose specified.

1.2. In a sheet-feeding machine, a papertable, means for separating thesheets and advancing same singly to a straighteningtable, saidstraighterring-table, a side guide thereon and a grid over said tableconsisting of slotted transversely-extending bars at the head and footof said straightening-table, longitudinallyextending bars secured to theaforesaid bars over said straightening-tablc and laterally andvertically adjustable thereon by means of screws passing through saidslotted, transverse bars and into said longitudinally extending bars,substantially as specified.

13. In a sheet-feeding machine, means for advancing the top sheet, stopmechanism consisting of a cam mounted on a p1.'o1 )erly-ti.med. shaft, alever pivoted with one end a short d tanoe from the working face of saidcam, and connected with belt-shiftin g mechanism, a block adapted to beinserted between said ea m and lover, and a finger pivoted and lying in.the path of the moving sheet of paper and means for operativelyconnecting said finger and said block, thereby forming means forinsorting said block upon failure of the sheet of paper to pass aidfinger.

14. In a sheet-feeding machine, means for advancing a sheet of paper andan automatic stop mechanism consisting of a cam, a lever mounted withits end near the working face thereof but with an intervening space, abeltshifting device and means for operatively connecting same with thesaid lever at one end, a block larger than the space between the saidlever and the Working face of said cam and being normally seated betweensaid cam periphery and lever, a lever pivoted on the frame and a cordconnecting one end of said lever with said block, an arm pivoted on theframe and adapted to operatively engage the last-named lever, a latchengaging said arm when it is elevated and adapted to retain the same inits elevated position, and a finger projected across the line of motionof the sheet being advanced and connected to said latch so as to releasethe engagement between same and said arm.

15. The combination, with a sheet-delivery fly, of a lever extendingacross the line of movement of the said fly, a cam and a lever mountedwith its end near the working face of said cam but with a spaceintervening between same and connected to a belt-shifting device, a cordattached to the first-named 1 lever, a deflecting-sheave vertically oversaid LINTON C. HOPKINS.

WVitnesses:

A. P. Woon, H. L. KEITH.

